A/N: Oooh I had to do that =D I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, and so here is more!

"Tony, I need your help." Ziva sounded like she'd been crying, but it was obvious she was trying to hide it, so he didn't mention it.

"What the hell, Zee-vah? Where are you?" Tony asked, his voice almost rising to a crescendo before he remembered who could hear.

"I had to get out of here." Ziva said angrily. Here, Tony noted. Was she still in DC?

"Look, tell me where you are, I'll come pick you up." Tony offered.

"No." Ziva knew her hand was shaking but she couldn't help it. "I'm not going back there. To that house. To that school. That's why I left."

"Because of Josh and Oli and that?" Tony asked. "Just ignore them."

"And because of someone else." Ziva said, my voice breaking in the middle of the sentence. She was angry at herself; she shouldn't be breaking down like this.

"Who? I swear I'll kill them." Ziva allowed herself a small smile. He wouldn't be able to kill the person he was talking about. Well, he would. But he'd probably not want to.

Ziva didn't think he'd understand if she explained that she left because the person had never given her a second glance, and she'd fallen into the trap of loving someone who would never return the favour.

"Ziva?" Tony wondered if she'd left her phone somewhere, or cut the call without him noticing.

"Yes, Tony?" Ziva's voice surprised him. It was quiet, and sounded sad.

"I… I wanted to say sorry. For being like I was at school. Ignoring you and all. If you come back, no one will be cruel anymore. I won't let that happen." Tony's tone was fierce at the end of the sentence.

"Apologizing is a sign of weakness." Ziva recited in a monotone the sentence her father had had beat into her.

"Apologizing is a sign of politeness." Tony countered, and he heard Ziva laugh, but it was a dry sound with not much happiness in it. "Ziva, just listen me out, alright?"

"Okay." Ziva agreed.

"Tell me where you are and –" Ziva made a sound as if she was about to interrupt, but Tony carried on and she stayed quiet. "And I will come and see you. I won't tell anyone or bring anyone. I just want to know that you're safe, alright? You trust me, don't you? Ziva?"

"I trust you." Ziva half-lied. She didn't trust anyone, but Tony was becoming more trustworthy in her eyes. "I'm on the green park bench in Lafayette Park."

"I'm coming." Tony ended the call, and grabbed the car keys which he had dumped on his desk. He ran down the stairs, jumping the last three. His fingers had just curled around the door handle when his father's voice called him.

"Anthony?" Tony halted and turned around.

"Yes?" He asked without any warmth in his tone, staring at the man who called himself his father.

"I need you to do a favour for me, Anthony." His father smiled a horrible smile that made Tony's stomach churn.

"No can do, I'm off." Tony grinned at disobeying a direct order from his father; he had never dared to before. There'd always been the belt buckle warning before. But he was strong enough to take him now, yes?

"Anthony! You will obey me!" His father began as the door slammed behind his son. He stamped his foot and grabbed a vase off of the table.

"AGH!" He screamed as he hurled it at the back on the door. "You little bastard!"

*

Tony unfolded himself from his car, locked the doors and headed for Lafayette Park.

His phone buzzed and he picked it up to answer it.

"Tony." The familiar voice said. "Keep walking."

"Keeping walking." Tony replied, walking forward.

"Left. Keep walking. Right. Wait there." Tony followed the instructions as Ziva told him. She cut the call and Tony pocketed his phone again. He stood where he had stopped, thinking about how he probably looked like a total moron, when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around.

"Ah!" He exclaimed, and then relaxed. "Oh, Ziva."

"Tony." She nodded cordially, and walked away. Tony followed her at a slight distance. They sat down next to each other on the bench. Tony noted the bag she had with her, and the ruffled look about her.

"Where are you sleeping, Ziva?" Tony asked, looking at her crumpled clothes.

"Somewhere. Anywhere." Ziva waved her hand vaguely around at the park.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you need a shower." Tony commented, and Ziva stared at the ground.

"You cannot make me go back there." She said stonily.

"I know." Tony said softly, and gently brushed a finger down her cheek. "Look, come back to my place for a while. Stay there. No one has to know."

He thought of the card Gibbs had given him. If Ziva wanted to be in contact with Gibbs, she could. He wasn't going to hand her over so easily.

"Why should I trust you?" She asked him. Tony shrugged.

"You did when you phoned me." He reminded, and Ziva sighed, knowing that, for now, she was beaten.

"Fine." She said, standing up slowly and slinging her bag over her shoulder. "You will tell no one."

It was more of an order than a question, Tony realized, so he didn't bother answering. Instead he just led her to his car. Ziva automatically headed for the driver's door, but Tony blocked her way.

"No way!" He refused to let her pass. "I have heard how you drive."

He jangled the keys at her. "Anyhow, I have the keys." Ziva rolled her eyes, but backtracked to sitting in the passenger seat.

"Home." Tony smiled and revved the engine.

"What?" Ziva was momentarily worried that Tony was going to drive her back to the wrath of her father, and then noticed him grinning.

"Only kidding." He smiled, and tousled her hand. She hit his hand away, but playfully. "My home."

A/N: OMG I watched Aliyah tonight! OMG OMG OMG!!! ZIVA!!!!!! The episode was so insanely awesome and I so did not expect that! Ahhh can't wait for season 7 now!

Please review!